Anyone can win at golf, as evidenced by the guy who beat Tiger for this year’s Masters. Playing such a democratic sport can make it hard to stand out, which may be one reason today’s putters have evolved to look like galactic death wands. The Nike Method is an archetypal example: like any future super-weapon, the Method has crammed a lot of technology into its dense little head: a grooved aluminum alloy insert on the club face dampens the initial impact of the ball, reducing skidding and sending the ball rolling right off the face. (Normal putters, Nike says, cause the ball to blast away from the impact and settle into a wobbly rhythm a few feet into its path.)

The equipment may not make the player, but this club has won its fair share of professional tours; lose a round, and at least you’ll know it’s not Nike’s fault. $249 at Dick’s.